Tail-holder.



J. A. WALLACE.

TAIL HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 20, 1911.

Inventor MJVal/wmj 1 Attorneys JAMES A. WALLACE, OF BOWLING GREEN,KENTUCKY.

TAIL-HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 20, 1911.

Patented Dec. 12, 1911. Serial No. 622,348.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known'that 1, JAMES A. VVALLACE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bowling Green, in the county of Warren and State ofKentucky, have invented a new and useful Tail-Holder, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The device forming the subject matter of this application, includes acrupper, and a harness for maintaining the crupper in position, thecrupper, in its turn, comprising a supporting structure, a movabletailholder, and means for maintaining the tailholder in adjustedpositions, whereby the tail of the animal may be trained to stand at anydesired curve.

The objects of the invention are, to provide a crupper having a movabletail-holder of novel and improved form, to provide means for maintainingthe tail-holder in adjusted positions, and to provide means for holdingthe crupper upon the horse.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope ofwhat is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings,-Figure 1 shows the invention in sideelevation, applied to a horse; Fig. 2 is a perspective of the frame ofthe crupper; and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the crupper, the frameshown in Fig. 2 being padded, and certain auxiliary elements beingappended to the crupper.

The crupper proper is shown most clearly in Figs. 2 and 3 of thedrawings, the frame of the crupper appearing in Fig. 2, and thecompleted crupper, ready for mounting in place, being shown in Fig. 3.The crupper comprises a support, and a movable tailholder pivotallyconnected with the support. The support preferably comprises a pair ofbars 1, diverging toward their rear ends. These bars 1 are curved, so asto conform properly to the rump of the horse. Adjacent their forwardends, the bars 1 are connected by a cross bar 2. The bars 1 are equippedwith bearings 3, in which is journaled for rotation a shaft 4, the shaft4 constituting a part of the tail-holder. The shaft 4 is preferablyalthough not necessarily, formed from a piece of pipe, the intermediateportion of the shaft 4 being rearwardly curved, as shown at 5. Relativemovement between the shaft 4 and the bars 1 1s prevented by means of setscrews 6, or l1ke clamping devices which, entering the bearlngs 3,engage with the shaft 4, adjacent the ends thereof.

The tail-holder, in addition to the shaft 4, comprlses arms 7,projecting radially from the shaft 4, and secured therein in any deslredmanner. These arms 7 are given a rearward curve. The arms 7 areconnected by an end bar 8, and by an intermediate bar 9, these bars 8and 9 being dished slightly, to correspond with the curvature 5 of theshaft 4.

As denoted by the numeral 10 in Fig. 8, the supporting structure,comprising the bars 1 and 2, may be padded in any desired manner, and toany desired extent, while the tail-holder, comprising the elements 4, 7,8 and 9, is padded as shown at 11. This padding 11, conforming to thecurvature of the members 8, 9 and 5, and to the rearward curvature ofthe arms 7, serves to fashion a trough-shaped structure, rearwardlycurved, and adapted to receive the tail of the animal. No specificdescription of the padding denoted by the numerals 10 and 11, need beentered into, since these details will be worked out by the saddler, tosuit his own convenience.

Secured to the padding 11 of the tailholder, at a point adjacent thepivotal mounting of the tail-holder, are rings 12', through which passesa strap 14, a similar strap 15 being secured to the padding 11 of thetail-holder, adjacent the upper, free end of the holder. When the tailof the animal is disposed in the holder, the straps 14 and 15 will bebuckled across the tail, to hold the tail in place upon the holder.

The invention further includes a surcingle 16, and a neck-band 17, theupper portions of the surcingle and the neck-band being connected, asshown at 18. An adjustable back strap 19 connects the surcingle 16 withthe ends of the bars 1 of the crupper.

The invention further includes a flank strap 20, the intermediateportion of which is extended through the rings 12 of the tailholder, theends of the strap 20 being carried downwardly, and diagonally, intoadjustable union, as shown at 21, with the rear end of the martingale22, the same being slidably connected with the surcingle 16, as shown at23, the upper end of the martingale 22 being connected, as shown at 2 1,with the neck band 17.

Mounted for swiveled movement upon the rear ends of the bars 1 of thecrupper, are connections 25, carrying rings 26, adapted to be engaged bysnaps 27 or the like, upon one end of each of a pair of side straps 28,the forward ends of the side straps 28 being adjustably connected, asshown at 29, with the surcingle 16, at any desired point-s. Preferably,the connection 29 is located upon the lower third of the surcingle.Slidable through the back strap 19, is an adjustable supporting strap30, the lower ends of which are connected with the flank straps 20.

In practical operation, the supporting harness and the crupper areapplied to the animal, the tail being held upon the tailholder, and thetail-holder being tilted to the required angle, and there held, by theengagement between the set screws 6 and the shaft 41. The tail of theanimal may thus be maintained at any desired angle, to assume a gracefulcurve, depending on the angle in which the tail-support is disposed.After the tail has been held, as shown in Fig. 1, for a requisite lengthof time, the structure may be removed, whereupon the tail willthereafter maintain a graceful and easy curve.

In so far as the showing of Fig. 1 is concerned, the parts of the devicein Fig. 1 have been positioned so as to show the device as clearly aspossible, and not to show of necessity, the angle at which the tail ofthe animal is to be held, it being understood that this latter feature,is a mere manner of adjustment.

Throughout this application, the word strap has been used in definingcertain parts of the structure. It is understood that the word strap,has been used to indicate a flexible element of any desired form, andfashioned from any desired material.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A device ofthe class described comprising a supporting structure; bearings thereon;a shaft journaled in the bearings; a tail-holding frame secured to theshaft; and means for holding the shaft against rotation.

2. A device of the class described comprising a supporting structure;bearings thereon; a shaft journaled in the bearings; a tail-supportingframe projecting radially from the shaft; and clamping devices in thebearings adapted to engage the shaft.

3. A device of the class described comprising a supporting structure,curved from end toend so as to conform to the curvature of the rump of ahorse; a shaft journaled upon the supporting structure; rearwardlycurved arms carried by the shaft; and bars connecting the arms, the barsand the shaft being curved, between the arms, to form a trough-shapedstructure, adapted to receive the tail; and means for holding the shaftin adjusted positions.

4. A device of the class described comprising a surcingle; a neck-bandunited with the surcingle; a martingale connecting the neck-band withthe surcingle; a crupper involving a supporting structure, an adjustabletail-holder, and means for maintaining the tail-holder in adjustedpositions; a backstrap connecting the crupper with the surcingle; aflank strap connecting the crupper with the martingale; a single strapconnecting the crupper with the surcingle; and a supportingstrapconnecting the back strap with the flank strap.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiiXedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES A. WALLACE.

Witnesses:

O. F. WHITE, J osnrn ROEMER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

